The Most Iconic Chair Designs Part 2
As promised, it’s time for the second part of the world’s most-known chair designs*
The photos are numbered, hover your cursor over them.
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The Tolix chair is an emblem of French furniture design. Made of galvanized steel, it was created by Xavier Pauchard in 1934.
The allure of the Tolix chair lies in its simple and functional design, as well as its ability to withstand various weather conditions. Crafted for outdoor use, the seat features holes to allow water to drain, making it ideal for restaurants, bars, cafes, and other commercial settings.
Not only is it practical and stackable, but it also stands the test of time with ease of maintenance. Pieces of this iconic design can be found in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, USA, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France, and the Vitra Design Collection in Weil am Rhein, Germany.
The A56 variant features a lower backrest and armrest.
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Did you know that Philippe Starck designed these chairs?
The Masters chair was created by Starck in collaboration with the Catalan designer Eugeni Quitllet in 2009. It pays homage to three iconic design chairs: Arne Jacobsen’s Series 7, Eero Saarinen’s Tulip, and Charles and Ray Eames’ Eiffel.
Fabricated with molded polypropylene, it is suitable for indoor and outdoor use and has received notable acclaim winning the Red Dot Design Award in 2013 and the prestigious Good Design Award from the Chicago Athenaeum in 2010.
“We were not born today. We had some great predecessors. The Masters Chair brings to mind the lines of three great masters and three great masterpieces. With them all together, they create a new product, a new project, a reflection of our new society.”
Philippe Starck
Philippe Starck’s design genius is evident throughout his extraordinary career and extensive portfolio of over 10,000 furniture pieces, buildings, and interiors.
The Victoria Ghost chair is a member of the Ghost family designed by Starck for Kartell, made from transparent polycarbonate using a single injection mold. Also known as Louis Ghost, they are inspired by the oval-backed armchairs of the Louis XVI era. The name “ghost” could also refer to the material’s transparency, which allows it to blend seamlessly into the environment. Despite its delicate appearance, the material is actually quite stable and durable.
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The Wegner Shell chair was designed by Hans J. Wegner in 1963. It is made of plywood and features three legs. In 1990, it was successfully relaunched by Carl Hansen & Søn. For obvious reasons, it is also affectionately known as the “smiling chair.”
Wegner is recognized as a pivotal figure in Danish modernism, leaving an impressive legacy of over 500 chairs, with a significant number expertly crafted in wood.
The Director’s chair was introduced by Gold Medal Camp Furniture and quickly became a cult item among theater and film directors. Its foldable and portable design was a plus for working in various locations and sets. It was awarded for its excellence in the design of casual furniture at the World’s Fair Columbian Exposition in Chicago, in 1893.
Folding chairs have a history that dates back to different civilizations such as Roman, Chinese, and Japanese. They were also utilized in Ancient Egypt.
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The Chandigarh chair by Pierre Jeanneret, who was Le Corbusier’s cousin and worked with him in planning Chandigarh.
It was envisioned for the Chandigarh project, a city in India established in the 1950s to serve as the capital of Punjab. Jeanneret’s design, along with other exquisite creations, was meticulously crafted to adorn the interior spaces of the city’s government and residential buildings.
It features simple lines and local materials like teak, wicker, leather, and bamboo. Though originally intended for the mentioned project, the Chandigarh chair gained recognition as an iconic design of modernism, appreciated for its style and comfort. In 2011, the Indian government acknowledged the historical and cultural value of the Chandigarh chairs, declaring them part of the country’s heritage.
The Acapulco chair There are many stories about its author, but none are confirmed as the official one, so let’s focus on the fact that its origins can be traced back to Mexico in the 1950s.
One version suggests that a French tourist used ropes from a traditional hammock to create a lightweight and airy chair that could withstand the tropical heat of Acapulco.
Its design draws inspiration from Mayan weaving techniques, and its structure is made of fine steel tubes with a rattan, PVC, or vinyl cord as upholstery. Its durability and design make it ideal for outdoor use.
This was a super fast tour with the basics of each design. We hope you enjoyed it! See you in the next post!
*[Please note that the images we have included are for illustrative purposes only. They may be replicas, not the original designs of the firms.]
